New Reporter
22-09-21, 15:23
EU backs France, India’s Modi vows to ‘act jointly’ with Macron in Indo-Pacific amid Aukus fallout
Germany’s Europe Minister says France’s diplomatic crisis is a ‘wake-up call’ for the EU to unite on foreign and security policy
Meanwhile, France and India say they will deepen partnership in the Indo-Pacific to promote ‘regional stability ... while ruling out any form of hegemony’
Reuters and Agence France-Presse
21 Sep, 2021
Germany joined France on Tuesday in berating the United States for negotiating a security pact in secret with Australia and Britain that cost Paris a lucrative defence deal, while the EU’s top official said such behaviour was unacceptable.
Germany’s Europe Minister Michael Roth said France’s diplomatic crisis with the US was a “wake-up call for all of us” on the importance of uniting an often divided European Union on foreign and security policy.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, who has developed close ties with US President Joe Biden’s administration, called the US government’s move “irritating”.
“I can understand our French friends’ anger,” Maas told reporters at the United Nations, where leaders were meeting for the General Assembly.
“What was decided, and the manner in which it was decided, was irritating and disappointing, and not only for France. What we’re seeing makes things much more complicated and I think it’s going to stay that way for a while,” he said.
In a concrete signal of the bloc’s outrage, EU ambassadors postponed preparations for an inaugural trade and technology council on September 29 with the US, a gathering that was trumpeted as a major advance in the transatlantic alliance.
“One of our member states has been treated in a way that is not acceptable, so we need to know what happened and why,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in defence of France.
Her EU executive asked for preparatory EU discussions for the US trade and technology council to be taken off Wednesday’s agenda, EU diplomats said.
A spokesperson said the Commission was still determining whether the US meeting should go ahead as planned.
France said it was assessing all options in response to Australia’s scrapping of a US$40 billion submarine contract last week, while its biggest EU ally, Germany, rallied behind it, saying Washington and Canberra had damaged trust between allies that would be difficult to rebuild.
Germany’s Roth said the EU needed to overcome its differences and speak with one voice.
“We all need to sit down at a table; lost trust has to be rebuilt – and this will obviously not be easy. But we want to make a constructive contribution,” he told reporters before a meeting with his counterparts in Brussels.
Beaune welcomed the EU support, stressing that this was a European matter, not just a French problem, and the bloc should be more assertive in defending its interests, although it was unclear what steps the bloc could take quickly.
Beaune said this marked a further erosion of trust in Britain post-Brexit. Britain, he said, was also not properly applying the fisheries part of the EU-UK trade deal or the protocol governing the trading position of Northern Ireland.
“You cannot say that you will uphold the things that suit you and drop those that do not suit the British. So trust, consistency, respect of accords are, I think, essential,” he said.
Meanwhile, President Emmanuel Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday vowed to “act jointly” in the Indo-Pacific region.
Macron assured Modi of France’s continued “commitment to the strengthening of India’s strategic autonomy, including its industry and technology base, as part of a close relationship based on trust and mutual respect”.
The statement from Macron’s office said France and India’s shared approach would be aimed at promoting “regional stability and the rule of law, while ruling out any form of hegemony”.
Paris has in the last years sought to tighten ties with New Delhi: in 2016, the two sides signed a multibillion dollar deal for 36 French Rafale fighter jets for India.
While the agreement is under investigation in France for kickback allegations, it is viewed as a commercial and diplomatic success for Paris.
Indian media have in recent days speculated that Australia’s cancellation of the submarine deal could spark French-Indian talks about a submarines agreement of their own, possibly involving a transfer of technology.
During a September 2020 visit to New Delhi French Defence Minister Florence Parly discussed the idea that the Rafale deal could lead to sales of other weaponry, including submarines, according to a French defence ministry source.
“The Indian air force is completely satisfied with these planes, and that means were are well-placed for the future,” the source said.
Possible coming arms sales, apart from the submarines, discussed in New Delhi included helicopters, ammunition and fighter jet turbines, the source said.
The dispute between France and the US follows what Nato’s European allies say was Washington’s failure to communicate and consult during the chaotic Western withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Australia says Washington’s offer of access to US nuclear technology to build nuclear-propelled submarines was too good to refuse. It will be only the second country after Britain in 1958 to be given such technology that allows Canberra to help Washington prevent China from gaining military supremacy.
The spat has put in doubt free-trade talks between the EU, the world’s biggest trading bloc, and Australia. They are currently under negotiation and the next round is due in October. It is not clear if they will go ahead.
French European affairs minister Clement Beaune described relations with Australia now as “very difficult”.
“We cannot act as if nothing happened. We need to look into all options,” he told reporters in Brussels.
Germany’s Europe Minister says France’s diplomatic crisis is a ‘wake-up call’ for the EU to unite on foreign and security policy
Meanwhile, France and India say they will deepen partnership in the Indo-Pacific to promote ‘regional stability ... while ruling out any form of hegemony’
Reuters and Agence France-Presse
21 Sep, 2021
Germany joined France on Tuesday in berating the United States for negotiating a security pact in secret with Australia and Britain that cost Paris a lucrative defence deal, while the EU’s top official said such behaviour was unacceptable.
Germany’s Europe Minister Michael Roth said France’s diplomatic crisis with the US was a “wake-up call for all of us” on the importance of uniting an often divided European Union on foreign and security policy.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, who has developed close ties with US President Joe Biden’s administration, called the US government’s move “irritating”.
“I can understand our French friends’ anger,” Maas told reporters at the United Nations, where leaders were meeting for the General Assembly.
“What was decided, and the manner in which it was decided, was irritating and disappointing, and not only for France. What we’re seeing makes things much more complicated and I think it’s going to stay that way for a while,” he said.
In a concrete signal of the bloc’s outrage, EU ambassadors postponed preparations for an inaugural trade and technology council on September 29 with the US, a gathering that was trumpeted as a major advance in the transatlantic alliance.
“One of our member states has been treated in a way that is not acceptable, so we need to know what happened and why,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in defence of France.
Her EU executive asked for preparatory EU discussions for the US trade and technology council to be taken off Wednesday’s agenda, EU diplomats said.
A spokesperson said the Commission was still determining whether the US meeting should go ahead as planned.
France said it was assessing all options in response to Australia’s scrapping of a US$40 billion submarine contract last week, while its biggest EU ally, Germany, rallied behind it, saying Washington and Canberra had damaged trust between allies that would be difficult to rebuild.
Germany’s Roth said the EU needed to overcome its differences and speak with one voice.
“We all need to sit down at a table; lost trust has to be rebuilt – and this will obviously not be easy. But we want to make a constructive contribution,” he told reporters before a meeting with his counterparts in Brussels.
Beaune welcomed the EU support, stressing that this was a European matter, not just a French problem, and the bloc should be more assertive in defending its interests, although it was unclear what steps the bloc could take quickly.
Beaune said this marked a further erosion of trust in Britain post-Brexit. Britain, he said, was also not properly applying the fisheries part of the EU-UK trade deal or the protocol governing the trading position of Northern Ireland.
“You cannot say that you will uphold the things that suit you and drop those that do not suit the British. So trust, consistency, respect of accords are, I think, essential,” he said.
Meanwhile, President Emmanuel Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday vowed to “act jointly” in the Indo-Pacific region.
Macron assured Modi of France’s continued “commitment to the strengthening of India’s strategic autonomy, including its industry and technology base, as part of a close relationship based on trust and mutual respect”.
The statement from Macron’s office said France and India’s shared approach would be aimed at promoting “regional stability and the rule of law, while ruling out any form of hegemony”.
Paris has in the last years sought to tighten ties with New Delhi: in 2016, the two sides signed a multibillion dollar deal for 36 French Rafale fighter jets for India.
While the agreement is under investigation in France for kickback allegations, it is viewed as a commercial and diplomatic success for Paris.
Indian media have in recent days speculated that Australia’s cancellation of the submarine deal could spark French-Indian talks about a submarines agreement of their own, possibly involving a transfer of technology.
During a September 2020 visit to New Delhi French Defence Minister Florence Parly discussed the idea that the Rafale deal could lead to sales of other weaponry, including submarines, according to a French defence ministry source.
“The Indian air force is completely satisfied with these planes, and that means were are well-placed for the future,” the source said.
Possible coming arms sales, apart from the submarines, discussed in New Delhi included helicopters, ammunition and fighter jet turbines, the source said.
The dispute between France and the US follows what Nato’s European allies say was Washington’s failure to communicate and consult during the chaotic Western withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Australia says Washington’s offer of access to US nuclear technology to build nuclear-propelled submarines was too good to refuse. It will be only the second country after Britain in 1958 to be given such technology that allows Canberra to help Washington prevent China from gaining military supremacy.
The spat has put in doubt free-trade talks between the EU, the world’s biggest trading bloc, and Australia. They are currently under negotiation and the next round is due in October. It is not clear if they will go ahead.
French European affairs minister Clement Beaune described relations with Australia now as “very difficult”.
“We cannot act as if nothing happened. We need to look into all options,” he told reporters in Brussels.